The paradox of law and gospel

[By M. L]

Law and gospel. Justification and sanctification. 
I think everyone sometimes struggles to accept both of these sides without going to extremes. We try to over-explain and rationalize how the one is caused by the other or how the two are connected. 
What I hope to do in this blog is to show how these terms form the ultimate paradox in, not only the universe, but our personal lives.

Let us start with law and gospel.

What is the law? It is the moral law given at Sinai and written by God Himself in stone by His own finger. All the law and the prophets hang on these ten laws which can be summarised in loving God above all things and loving your neighbour as yourself. It is the obligation that every creature has to fulfill. God has given us life, therefore it is our duty to obey His commands. And His hatred is kindled against any transgression of any form. He hates sin and unfortunately the sin is always connected with the sinner. For this reason scripture calls us children of wrath by nature. Paul tells us that the wrath of God is poured out over disobedience and all kinds of sin.

The moral law goes deeper than any of us can imagine. It looks at the thoughts and intents of our hearts. It goes as far as our lusts and our very nature. 
But then you have the gospel. Free justification by faith alone. Righteousness that is obtained in another person apart from our own works of love and ceremony. Here we see the love of God for the sinner and His tendency to cover us. 

But here we see two seemingly opposite characteristics of God. 

How can He have such a hate for sin yet justify the ungodly? How can He be forgiving yet also someone who does not acquit the wicked? 

Here our eyes of faith need to work. Often we tend to only see one side of the coin, but let us behold both. We should not fear that by putting emphesis on justification by faith again would make us forget about the law and Gods hatred against trangression.

Yet at the same time putting emphesis on the law can never reduce the light that shines from calvery. It can only strengthen that light. 

The cross is the ultimate example of these two sides being at harmony.

Behold the suffering of the innocent one for my sins! I am guilty for those pierced hands. It was my nature that was revealed when we esteemed Him stricken of God and when we wanted Him dead. My deeds are responsible for His death and I am still grieving Him right now by those sins that I so often commit. Look at what the Son of God went through on that cross when He bore the penalty for sin! Look at how great the hatred of God towards sin is that even His own Son was not spared! 

But looking at all these things, how can we expect to be justified when beholding this? If I am guilty for His death and if sin is so horrific in the eyes of God and if I am still sin-stained at this moment; how can I expect Jesus to ever look at me again for doing what I did? That wouldn't make any sense.

But lo and behold, the same blood for which I am responsible is also the blood that justifies me. He came and died in my place. He loved me so much that He willingly took the penalty of sin on Himself. He wanted me alive. He esteemed Himself and the suffering He would go through lesser than losing me. He did not spare His only Son.

And when both these points are considered. When we behold both. That God does really hate and care about my sin, yet also forgives and justifies me without any work of love of my own. 

Then all that seems left to do is to be silent in awe and to receive it. We are commanded to receive this gospel. The gospel is a command from the eternal King Jesus for us to trust in Him. Behold Him! Receive His love! Do not hesitate. 

But isn't it important that my sanctification is in order? I am not there yet. I look at myself and I only see terrible darkness. I see the love and perfection of Jesus and I feel unworthy. I am not nearly as thankful and loving to Him as I should be. 

Sure you are! God already knows. But did God call you to first get your sanctification right and to generate a love and gratitude in yourself before you come to Him? Did He call you to be changed by the Spirit by looking at yourself?
Stop looking at self. As long as you are focussed on what is happening in yourself you will never be at peace. Did He not promise to write the law in your heart by knowing Him and His forgiveness and love? 

It is by beholding we are changed. Beholding Christ, not self. 

"Great! Let us sin! God has justified me, a sinner."

One can simply not have that attitude when beholding Calvary with the eyes of faith. Again; accept both law and gospel. These two strenghten each other.

"But I am beholding Christ, but the chains of sins seem to strong! I am inclined to serve two masters!"

Do not fear. It is human nature that is inclined to even reject Calvary. But there is hope. Throw yourself broken and hopeless before the feet of the cross and take the great promise 'I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts'. Trust Him even in this. 

"I wish to believe, but I am weak!"

Only more reason to fall with a broken heart before the cross and to say; 

'Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!' 

If you fall broken before Him you cannot be lost. For it is written: 'and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out' 

But you say; "Is my sanctification a totally passive process then? Am I to do nothing?" 

It is not so. There is a fight of faith to fight. You are to keep your eyes on Christ and to resist the lusts of the flesh. But this will never come from you. How can you resist the lust of the flesh when the flesh is the very nature in which you live? You yourself cannot do it by your own power. The lusts of the Spirit must war against the lusts of the flesh and by this Spirit the righteousness of the law can be fulfilled in you. But when does the Spirit come to you? When are these lusts made stronger in you?
It is by beholding Christ and His love for you personally. Even the very lust and will of doing those things which please Christ are from God alone. You can not generate it in yourself. 
For this reason all you can do is submitting yourself to the new covenant. Do not leave a single piece out:

[Hebrews 8:10-12 NKJV] "10 "For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 11 "None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. 12 "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.""

[Galatians 3:13 NKJV] "13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed [is] everyone who hangs on a tree"),"

[Galatians 5:6 NKJV] "6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love."

[2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV] "18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

[Romans 4:3-5 KJV] "3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."

This love is unmatched.